by Paul White, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul White, USA TODAY Sports

BALTIMORE â?? Derek Jeter will not play again this season but the Yankees captain and shortstop insists you can stop speculating about the end of his career right now.

"A lot of end talk here," Jeter said in a media session less than two hours after the team decided to place him on the disabled list and end a season that has seen him play just 17 games â?? and bat just .190. "You guys want this to be the end for me?"

Jeter, 39, has never fully recovered from the broken ankle he suffered in last year's playoffs and he says his inability to return to full strength is a matter of not being able to rebuild the strength in the rest of his left leg.

"The entire year has been pretty much nightmare for me physically," Jeter said. "It's kind of fitting it ends like this, I guess."

The ankle itself is fine, Jeter said, but he plans to use the time until next spring training for what he called, "A normal offseason to work out."

In the meantime, he said, "I'll grab some pom pons and root for my teammates. I've had pom pons for a lot of this season already."

The Yankees beat Baltimore Wednesday night to move to one game out of a wild-card spot in a tight five-team race for the American League's final playoff berth. Tampa Bay holds the final spot and Baltimore is a half-game behind the Yankees.

"It's just a matter of adding strength," said Jeter, who suffered a quadriceps injury shortly after returning to the lineup July 11. He's had other leg problems since and has only two extra-base hits (a homer and a double) in 63 at-bats.

"I wasn't moving the way I want to move, hitting the way I want to hit, throwing the way I want to throw," Jeter said, adding that he agrees with the Yankees decision to shut him down.

"I'm not surprised," he said. "If you can't play the way you're capable of, you're not helping."

Jeter said he hasn't given any thought to whether the end of his now 19-year major league career is nearing. All that remains of his current contract is an $8 million player option for next season.

"Just because of an ankle injury?" he said. "No, you don't start thinking about the end just b ecause of any injury. There's no doubt in my mind I'll get back to where I was."

He said he hasn't thought about the contract situation.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman reiterated that he expects Jeter back in 2014, and at shortstop. Jeter has an $8 million player option for 2014, or can opt to become a free agent.

"I have not watched his last game," Cashman said. "No one has."

Manager Joe Girardi said he will use Brendan Ryan, acquired earlier today from Seattle for a player to be named, and Eduardo Nunez at shortstop. Ryan will not be eligible for the playoffs because he was acquired after Aug. 31.

"There are no guarantees," Girardi said of Jeter returning at full strength next season or even moving to another position. "But I will never doubt Derek. We'll proceed and see where the winter goes."